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Hubble Discovers Quadruple Lensed Ancient Supernova

Posted by samzenpus on from the covering-the-angles dept.

astroengine writes Astronomer Patrick Kelly, with the University of California Berkeley, and colleagues report this week about four different routes light from an ancient supernova took to reach the Hubble telescope after being deflected around an intervening elliptical galaxy. The phenomenon is known as an Einstein cross. "Basically, we get to see the supernova four times and measure the time delays between its arrival in the different images, hopefully learning something about the supernova and the kind of star it exploded from, as well as about the gravitational lenses," Kelly said in a statement. The supernova will appear again in the next 10 years, as its light takes different paths around and through the gravitational lens.

20 comments

  1. But I discovered that YEARS ago... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ....you insensitive clod!!!

    1. Re:But I discovered that YEARS ago... by garyisabusyguy · · Score: 3, Funny

      I wanna see a video with a cosmologist running around shrieking, "OMG Quadruple Supernova! Quadruple Supernova" whilst having some sort of emotional breakdown

      --
      Wherever You Go, There You Are
  2. Re:Supernova? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Offer declined

  3. It's like an intergalactic rerun. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Remember reruns?

    1. Re:It's like an intergalactic rerun. by neilo_1701D · · Score: 1

      Remember reruns?

      Wasn't he Lucy's younger brother?

  4. Re:Daughters Video - Please view by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Please fuck off to reddit.

  5. Re:Daughters Video - Please view by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Noone gives a shit.

  6. why 10 years? by dominux · · Score: 1

    Is this something that is going away and will come back in 10 years? why? or is it something that is expected to last for 10 years?

    1. Re:why 10 years? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

      Because of the curve in spacetime created by a large gravitational body (which causes the gravitational lens in the first place) we will see the light again as one path is longer than another. It's a bit more complex than that but that's the Astrophysics 101 version of it.

    2. Re:why 10 years? by sconeu · · Score: 3, Informative

      Supernovae are transient events. So it will fade. 10 years from now, the light will reach us again, after it's travelled a different route. RTFS, it's right there:

      "The supernova will appear again in the next 10 years, as its light takes different paths around and through the gravitational lens."

      In other words, some of light got lensed into taking the scenic route, and will show up later.

      --
      General Relativity: Space-time tells matter where to go; Matter tells space-time what shape to be.
    3. Re:why 10 years? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Time is 3-dimensional.

  7. Re:Daughters Video - Please view by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Done, thanks.

  8. Article ignores most exciting part. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Only at the end does the article mention that light from the point source shows up at 4 different TIMES. Some very interesting measurements can be made.